RT Journal Article T1 Selective nitrogen functionalization of phosphorus-containing activated carbons A1 Palomo-Jiménez, José A1 Ternero-Hidalgo, Juan José A1 Rosas-Martínez, Juana María A1 Rodríguez-Mirasol, José A1 Cordero-Alcántara, Tomás K1 Fósforo K1 Carbón activado K1 Química - Ensayos y reactivos AB Nitrogen-containing activated carbons are materials of great interest. However, their main preparation methods are not able to control the formation of specific nitrogen groups on the carbon surface. The method here proposed is the selective nitrogen functionalization of activated carbons, by different oxidation and reduction treatments. Results indicated that the presence of stable phosphorus groups in the carbon obtained by chemical activation with phosphoric acid (ACP), favored the incorporation of higher amounts of nitrogen heteroatoms, mainly in form of nitro groups, during the treatment with only nitric acid. Subsequently, the activated carbons were reduced by thermal or chemical treatments, this last one by only using NaBH4 as reducing reagent. Both methods were successfully used to reduce the nitro groups. Thermal reduction produced more condensed nitrogen (such as pyridinic and pyrrolic) structures in the activated carbons, containing (ACP) or not (AC) phosphorus groups on their surfaces. However, chemical reduction provided the selective formation of amine groups only with ACP carbons, suggesting the important role of phosphorus groups in the mechanism of amine formation. The presence of amine groups was confirmed by Ninhydrin test, for the first time, used in the detection of amino groups bonded to the carbon surface. PB Elsevier YR 2017 FD 2017-02 LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45240 UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/45240 LA eng NO J. Palomo; J.J. Ternero-Hidalgo; J.M. Rosas; J. Rodriguez-Mirasol; T. Cordero. 2016. Selective nitrogen functionalization of phosphorus-containing activated carbons. Fuel Processing Technology. Elsevier. 156, pp.438-445. NO https://www.elsevier.com/about/policies-and-standards/sharing#3-accepted-manuscript NO Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness NO Junta de Andalucia NO Spanish Ministry Education DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga RD 28 feb 2026